Retoucher&#39;s combination pallet



April 1956 H. L. SHELTON RETOUCHERS COMBINATION PALLET Filed June 1,1953 Harold L. YBYWIV' 7 HT TO RNEY.

United States Patent 2,741,048 RETOUCHERS COMBINATION PALLET Harold L.Shelton, Los Angeles, (Ialif. Application June 1, 1953, SerialNo.358,885 3 Claims. (Cl. 41-5 This invention relates to a combinationpallet for air brush artists and retouchers engaged in work in which itis necessary to use a variety of colors and a number of differentbrushes along with artists pencils, ruling pens, pigment cups, andvarious small containers.

When using equipment of this kind artists and draftsmen, while doingtheir work, often experience difficulty in keeping all these implementswithin convenient reach. Also there is room for improving upon theequipment of air brush artists in regard to providing them with a bettermeans for keeping pigments properly segregated and within convenientreach. Furthermore there is need for a better means for supporting moistbrushes after using, so that they do not have to be washed out afterevery using. If such brushes are not supported in the proper manner andso as to keep them out of contact with each other, the ink or pigment ofone brush is apt to mingle with that of another and to necessitatewashing out the brush before using.

With a view to overcoming the foregoing defects of the prior art, amongthe objects of the present invention are: to provide an improvedarrangement of pen and pencil supporting seats in combination withadjacent rows of seats and sockets for containing and supportingpigments and inks to be used in conjunction with the brushes and pens;to provide improved non-spill holders for inks and pigments; to provideimproved means for supporting color cups in such a manner that a recessis afforded for accommodating the outlet stem of each cup; and toprovide a means for supporting in a more conveniently accessible mannera wad or ball of cotton where it can be readily redrawn piecemeal andused for cleaning and wiping operations.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved,stepped-up arrangement of rows of seats and sockets, the front row orseat portion of the structure being used to support pens and pencils,and the materials to be used by the pens and brushes being contained inthe more elevated part of the structure.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention will hereinafterappear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred,reduced to practice embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete pallet looking at the frontside thereof, broken lines in the right hand end portion of the viewindicating a container located in a seat provided therefor.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the scalebeing enlarged and a color cup being included in the view.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, the scalebeing enlarged and a container being included in the view.

Referring in detail to the drawing, therein is shown a unitary, multipleseat pallet 7 having a broad basal portion 8 with a flat under surfaceto rest upon a seat or table. As viewed in Fig. l the front portionofsaid pallet is provided with an elongated shallow depression 10 borderedby front wall 11, a left end wall 12 and a back wall 13. Said end wall12 has along it a plurality of spaced apart arcuate seats 15. Also twocross walls 16 and 17 are provided, these walls being of substantiallythe same height as said end wall 12 and each of them having in it aplurality of arcuate seats 18 which cooperate with the aforesaid seatsof the end wall 12 to provide means for supporting elongated implements,for example the brush 20 shown, slightly spaced above the bottom of saiddepression 10.

Behind the wall 13, already mentioned, the pallet is provided with 'astepped-up portion along which extends a row of recesses 26 to receivethe pigments which the artist will use. Said depressionlll) does notextend the entire length of the pallet but leaves room at its inner,

end for the stepped up part 25 to have a'forward extension 25a intowhich extends the aforesaid row of recesses 26. However, said depressionis sufiiciently long to accommodate any artists implements placed uponits cross walls.

In order to prevent overflowing each pigment recess 26 is provided witha circular, rectangular recess or groove 26a around its top portion,thus providing around it a vertical, circular wall above the level ofthe pigment, which will be filled into the recess only up to the levelof the bottom of said groove. The part of said recess below said grooveis shown as being of an inverted dome shape.

Along the rear side of said stepped-up portion 25 the right hand portionof the pallet as viewed in Fig. 1 is provided with an additionallystepped-up back side portion 30, and leftward of this stepped-up part isa much higher stepped-up portion 32. Said stepped-up part 30 is providedwith a row of color cup seats 33. Each of these seats, a typical one ofwhich is shown in Fig. 3, is of an inverted dome shape andcircumferentially recessed at its top so as to provide a ledge 34, andin addition is provided in front with a small inclined groove ordepression to accommodate the lateral outlet stem 36 of a color cup 37,and to maintain the cup level so that the contents thereof will notspill out. It will be seen that each of said grooves 35 is so positionedthat the color cup outlet stem 36 of the container cup is directedforwardly and toward the artist using the device, thus making it moreconvenient for him instantly to apply the color cup to an air brush.

Returning to the most elevated stepped-up part 32, therein is formed arow of rectangular sockets 39, 40 and 41, the first two being designedto contain brushes or other implements and the latter one being designedto contain a wad of cotton 43 and being furnished with a slot 44 cutdownwardly into its front side so that a tongue or extension 45 of thecotton may be projected through said slot to be within easy reach of theartist, so that the cotton may conveniently be withdrawn for use in apiecemeal manner.

In the right hand portion of Fig. 1 the pallet is shown provided with asomewhat more than semi-circular extension which is furnished with acircular seat 51 to receive a jar of white pigment, or other container52. The adjacent stepped-up part 30 of the pallet forms a guard whichprotects said container against being overturned.

The device may be cast out of a suitable metal, or may be made of aplastic substance, for example Vinylite.

Hitherto air brush artists have been accustomed to keep only two orthree color cups in use at one time, because of a lack of facilities forproperly supporting them, but by this invention said lack has beensupplied so that a much wider variety of colors can be maintainedinagposition for instant use. Also, color cup'washing' is reduced to aminimum.

'1 claim:

1. An artists pallet comprising a body member having a basal apartdesigned to .rest upon a supporting surface, a :frontportion having ahorizontal depression, the bottom .of which is substantially .fiat, anend wall'extending across one end of said depression, at least one wallextending across said depression between its ends so as to be spacedfrom said end wall, means defining brush seats within the upper edges ofsaid walls, the seats of said walls being aligned .with one another, afirst steppedup portion above and behind said fronhportiomsaid firststepped-up portionincludinga row of recesses designed toreceive pigmentsused by anartist,:each of said recesses being provided with a verticalwall provided a groove around .its top portion and a bottom having theshape of an inverted dome and a second-stepped-up portion-above andbehind said .first stepped-up portion, said second stepped-up portionincluding "a .row of color cup seats designed to hold color cups, eachof said seats being of inverted cone shape and including a smallinclined groove 4 designed to accommodate the lateral outlet stem of acolor cup, each of said grooves being directed toward said frontportion.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and a third stepped-up portion aboveand behind said first stepped-up portion and adjacent said secondstepped-up portion, said third stepped-up portion having a plurality ofdeep sockets extending to a point adjacent said basal part, said socketsbeing adapted to hold elongated artists implements.

3. The subject matter of claim 2 and a socketin said third stepped-upportion having a slot cut downwardly therein and adapted to hold cottonso that the same can be removed through said slot for use in smallpieces.

References Cited in the file'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

